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“Why do you do drugs?” Richard shot back directly and looked up from the computer screen to Dean by his side, closing the laptop a little bit to roughly and it came down with a slam. Dean flinched a little bit and shifted away, removing his hand from Richard’s shoulder. He looked confused, as if he had just been told to fix a math problem that took up an entire chalkboard.
“I-“ Dean didn’t answer. He didn’t know if it was because he didn’t want to answer or if he just didn’t know what to say. Or maybe he did want to answer but the words got stuck in his throat and that brought him nowhere. He swallowed, hoping that it would ease his speaking a little bit. It didn’t, but he felt another stab to his stomach. “I don’t quite see what that has to do with the matter?” He replied nervously and Richard actually grinned.
“It has everything to do with the matter.” Richard replied to him and shifted in the chair, turning more towards Dean now. “It is a personal reason for me to look up apartments back in England, and none of your concern. Just as it is none of my concern why you do drugs and ruin yourself in the process.” Richard closed the little writing pad and put it on top of the computer.
Dean wanted to give him some smart-ass reply, but he couldn’t come up with anything and was just left standing there. “I suppose.” He muttered eventually and crossed his arms over his chest, turning to look out of the window and down to the street. It was empty, but by the look of it, it was quite sunny outside. Not a day to sit inside with. He’d much rather go out and do something, go lay on the grass in the park or something like that. “But.” Dean turned to Richard who had now stood up and was putting everything neatly on a pile. “I didn’t choose for this lifestyle you know? No one does.”
Richard didn’t say anything and for a short second Dean hoped that the other was at loss of words as he had felt earlier. Dean shook his head and headed for the living room. Once more a stab to his stomach just before he sat down on the couch, pulling his legs back up to his chest as if that would ease the pain a little bit. The cat soon jumped up next to him, begging for his attention.
“Look.” The deep tone that Richard had in his voice was enough to make Dean shiver otherwise, but now he couldn’t bring himself to react to it. Dean didn’t even bother to look up from the cat, he just kept scratching Arwen behind her ear and smiled weakly when she leaned more and more into his hand. “I didn’t want to insult you or anything, I just… well.” Richard stopped talking and Dean looked up from the cat to the man now next to him. And it seemed true. The other was at loss of words.
“Well you did.” Dean stated simply. “I just asked a simple question if you were, or weren’t going to stay in New Zealand and you start of with how I’m throwing my life away because of a choice I made? I don’t care if that’s not what you meant, the way you made it sound was like it is a conscious decision to do what I do. Which it isn’t, its so much more then that. I am already aware I’ve ruined the past ten years for myself. I don’t need to get it rubbed in my face by someone I hardly know.”
Richard looked like a guilty child, looking down to his feet like that. Dean looked back down to Arwen, the cat was purring now and curled up next to his leg. ”It was just a question. If you didn’t want to answer it then you could have just said so.”
Richard let out a heavy sigh and Dean guessed that Richard was rubbing his face with his hand. Dean didn’t bother to look, but soon enough he felt a weight come down next to him on the couch. “I am really sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you, I really didn’t.” Richard said, Dean slowed down the scratching of the cat a little bit as a sign to listen, if Richard noticed that. “Dean?”
Dean shifted a little bit, he felt another dash in his stomach. A little bit milder, but improvement was improvement. He leaned his head back against the back of the couch and looked to Richard. Despite that the other was quite a lot larger then Dean was, now he felt even of height. The other looked so guilty that it brought them down on an even level. “Apology is accepted.”
Richard smiled a little bit, then he looked down to the cat as well. He soon leaned over Dean to scratch the cat as well. Arwen started purring louder and turned onto her back, stretching out her front legs as she exposed her belly. Dean chuckled a little bit and retracted his own hand. “But you’ll probably go back to England wont you? Otherwise you wouldn’t be looking at apartments, right?” Dean asked then on a careful tone. He didn’t want to get Richard mad at him again, especially now since he could get kicked out so easily.
Richard sighed a bit and nodded, retracting his hand from the cat. Arwen made a whining sound in complaint and looked to both men. “I’m just not sure about being in New Zealand. I miss home and I barely know my way around.” Richard fell silent, then he chuckled. “I miss crumpets and The Chatty Man.”
Dean frowned to that. “The Chatty Man?” he asked in a questioning tone. Richard chuckled again and reached over Dean to take the cat. She didn’t complain, she just came to rest on his lap again and purred, slouching together on the spot.
“It’s a tv show back in England, its horrible actually.” Richard explained, scratching the cat’s stomach. Dean nodded slowly. He could understand the homesickness, but he couldn’t understand missing something that you hated. He knew he didn’t. On the other hand, he had never moved to the other side of the world. Let alone moved out of the city. He had been born and raised in Auckland. In the end, Dean decided not to question it.
“Let me show you around.” Dean then offered and shifted to look at Richard again. “Let me show you around a little bit in Auckland first, before you make your decision on staying or not. If you’ve been here a month then you can’t have seen that much can you? So, let me show you around a little bit as thanks for what you’ve done, instead of sucking you off?”
“Thanks for what I’ve done?” Richard questioned with a raised eyebrow. Dean nodded and rested his elbow against his knee and his chin in his hand. Another dash of pain in his stomach, but it was slowly fading. Today would be an easy day on that field. And if he kept moving then he would be just fine.
“Yeah you know. For taking me in two nights, giving me food and letting me shower. Stuff like that.” Dean answered simply. “It might not mean much to you, but for someone in my position it does. So, let me show you around a little bit in Auckland before you make a decision. With you working and all I can’t imagine you having seen that much just yet.”
Richard was silent and looked to Arwen, yet Dean could imagine that the other was thinking matters through. He could hear the clogs work inside the others head now. Eventually Richard nodded and Dean broke out in a grin. “Fine, show me around in Auckland. So what do we do?”
“First, I’m going to have a quick go at your shower and get changed into some cleaner clothes. I suggest you change into something more comfortable as well. It’ll be a lot of walking.” Dean said and quickly slid of the couch, leaving a very confused Richard behind him on the couch. “We’re going to climb a volcano!” Dean shouted after him before he turned in the hallway to head to the bathroom. He could hear Richard cry out for him. But all Dean did was laugh and lock the bathroom door behind himself.
---
“Out of all things to do.” Richard muttered, glancing up to Dean ahead of him who was walking on carelessly. “You take me to climb a volcano.” He spat out. Dean chuckled again and gestured with his hand in a manner he had done so many times earlier today. Richard hadn’t wanted to go to the volcano, barely even after Dean had told him that there was absolutely no threat behind it all and that it would give them all an amazing view for the both of them. It was a beautiful and warm day out, so why sit inside or just wander throughout the city when you could climb Mt Eden?
Dean had directly known where to go and what buss to take, pointing out some random things that really were of no interest for Richard along the way. Also mentioning that public transport was a better way for him to see around where he really lived. Richard had only grumbled in reply. He didn’t like public transport for many reasons, and one of them was the amount of people using it. He always had felt as if someone was watching him.
“Well wont that be something to tell your relatives?” Dean asked, sounding slightly out of breath himself even if he walked on carelessly. “That you climbed a volcano in New Zealand?” Dean laughed and stopped, turned and looked to Richard. His cheeks had gotten slightly flushed from either walking or the heat. “It’s worth it at the top, especially when the sun sets and you know, the lights are on. Everything is nicer in the evening. Stop complaining and walk on. Come on!” Dean urged.
“You know, where I am from.” Richard hissed and finally caught up with Dean. “When we hike, we don’t climb volcano’s, because the ground is flat. As it should be.” Dean laughed and patted Richard on his back again before he was off again and followed the path even more upwards. Richard swallowed, his throat was dry from the heat and the walking and he would kill for something to drink now.
“Where is it that you’re from?” Dean asked and looked over his shoulder. “I mean, England obviously, one can tell by the accent and all but, where in England, there’s more to it then London isn’t it?” Another bigger step to force himself upwards. And they were even just following a simple path.
“Leicester.” He answered simply. “Born and raised. You?” Richard asked. Figuring that if they were going to hike together like this they might as well get to know each other a little bit. He didn’t want any awkward silences, that made him nervous enough and anxious.
“Auckland.” Dean laughed. “Born and raised, I’ve only left the city once in my entire life.” Dean added, stopping with the walking again and once more waited for Richard to catch up.
“Only once? What was that for?” Richard asked him then, catching up a lot quicker now then the earlier moment. “I mean, to live your entire life in city and then never left it? Granted, I didn’t leave Leicester until a month ago. But even I had left the city before.”
“I was in a relationship with someone at that time.” Dean answered, sounding as if he was in a dream by the mention of it. “And, they hadn’t really been… good to me for a while at that time. So, he took me to Wellington to make up for it.”
“Sounds like a good way to make up for it.” Richard said and grinned a little bit. Dean didn’t smile however and kept looking down. “No?”
“I’d rather not talk about it Richard.” Dean sped up his pace and in a couple of steps he was ahead of him again. Richard couldn’t help but roll his eyes and kept walking. This time deciding that he would remain silent and stop asking questions.
---
Dean had remained quiet all the way to the top of the volcano, and once there Dean had made Richard stop and took out the two bottles of water he had hid away in the bag that Richard had been carrying. Both to delight and hatred of Richard who complained about the weight he had carried up the mountain but was still happy that they had something to drink. Dean had just jokingly told him to shut up and lit up one of his cigarettes that he also had hidden away in the bag.
Dean quickly set off with finding them a secluded spot to sit on away from most tourists. Even if they all were turning to leave as it was slowly turning to the evening. Dean didn’t mind that, the less people, the better. The calmer it would be for them. Eventually, Dean found a spot for the two of them that would offer a great view over the city once the sun would set and the lights would turn on.
Everything slowed down, they slowed down. They sat at the spot that Dean had picked out for them and ate the sandwiches that they had packed. They didn’t speak with each other and just enjoyed the silence and the view. It wasn’t until the sun started to set that they started to switch out jokes with each other. Richard turned out to be horrible at them, they were so bad that Dean instantly found them good.
(What do you say about a good farmer?
What?
He is good in his field.
Really Richard?)
None of them compared to Dean’s own jokes however, and most of them made Richard laugh so much that he nearly cried on more occasions then one.
(So there is this man wandering through the Sahara with his camel right? And it’s a long way to go and-
What’s he wandering through the desert for?
Doesn’t matter Richard. The point is he’s wandering with his camel for a long time and he doesn’t meet anyone else and it gets lonely right? So after a couple of nights he starts looking at his camel and he thinks, yeah, I can tap that. So he walks over to the camel and pulls down his pants. But the camel stands up and walks away. No loss, the man thinks, He’ll try again the following evening.
Why would you want to do that with a camel for?
That doesn’t matter Richard. So he tries again the following evening and leans up a ladder against the camel and pulls down his pants. But the camel doesn’t stay put and walks of, so the man with the ladder falls. No loss. He’d try again tomorrow even if he’s getting frustrated you know?
Wouldn’t you just jerk of then instead?
Are you going to let me finish?
Sorry.
Anyway. The following day they reach an oasis, and the man is thirsty so he drinks from the water and then Poof! This beautiful young lady shows up, gorgeous dark hair, tanned skin from the strong sun, brown eyes like you’ve never seen before, the best curves on a woman imaginable! I mean this girl gives Jessica Alba a run for her money she is beautiful.
I thought you preferred cock?
That’s besides the point Richard. She’s a genie she says, she’s been trapped in the oasis for ages and now since the man drank, she’s free again. So she says as thanks she’ll grant him one wish, anything the man wants. The man thinks long and hard. And eventually he says. Would you mind holding my camel still for me for a moment?)
The lights over the city started to flicker eventually one by one, and by eight in the evening all lights were on. At nine it was pitch black outside and the city looked beautiful under all of its lights. Dean tried to judge what Richard thought of the view, but in the darkness he couldn’t make out much from the other mans features, at least not until he spoke. “You’re right, it was a good idea to climb the volcano.” Richard admitted. Dean clapped his hands together to cheer for himself.
“I told you so didn’t I?” Dean said and smirked to him. But Richard didn’t look and even if he had, he wouldn’t have been able to make out anything from Dean’s features as well. Darkness was working on two sides after all.
“A lot of people come up here, there are just few who stay during the night as well. He raised his shoulders and looked out over the multi colored view of Auckland in front of them.
“How did you first find out?” Richard asked him and Dean started to chew on the inside of his cheek at the question. “I mean, what gave you the idea to sit up here in the darkness?”
“I had no place to go home to once in the evening.” Dean admitted then and raised his shoulders. “And this place made me feel better.” He said and looked to Richard, who now was looking at him as well in the darkness. Dean decided only to tell half of the story. He didn’t want to tell Richard how he had seen the colors dancing that evening and how the grass had felt against his skin. He didn’t think that Richard would understand even if he tried. Not until he had tried it himself.
Richard nodded slowly, then looked ahead of himself. “I guess it is a good thing that you found it then.” Dean nodded slowly and looked ahead of himself as well. One good thing brought one bad thing along with it after all. Just as one bad thing often brought something good along. But so far he hadn’t seen what the good was at all, for ten years he hadn’t seen a single fragment of something good that could happen to him.
“Thanks for being nice to me Richard. I really appreciate it.” Dean murmured on a low tone and looked down to the black grass. “I haven’t met anyone as nice as you in a long time.”
“Hey.” Richard bumped their shoulders together and Dean looked up, now as Richard was closer he could see a faint outline of a grin. “For a junkie you’re alright.” Dean chuckled a little bit and looked out over the view again.
“Thanks.” He said eventually and looked back to Richard with a small smile on his lips. Richard’s own grin slowly disappeared and Dean felt the same thing happening with his own smile. He felt nervous all of a sudden, his skin tingling as if it told him to move, his heartbeat speeding up and his brain telling him to blurt out anything to start a conversation and ease the awkwardness.
All of that disappeared when Richard leaned in and Dean felt his lips against his own. He relaxed, replying the short kiss that was given to him. Richard moved away quickly and looked down, almost as if he was embarrassed over what just had happened. “So I guess that settles it then huh?” Dean asked, Richard looked confused. “You like cock?”
To that Richard just laughed, and he didn’t stop laughing until Dean leaned in for a new kiss. This one, Richard replied with much more confidence.